Techniques for compressing images to achieve a target quality level

One or more non-transitory computer readable media including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to encode an image by performing the steps of:

• encoding a first source image using a first value for a first encoding parameter to generate a first encoded image, wherein the first value is based on a first search interval that is associated with the first encoding parameter;
• computing a current value for a visual quality metric based on a first reconstructed source image derived from the first encoded image;
• performing at least one comparison operation between the current value and a target value for the visual quality metric;
• reducing the first search interval based on the at least one comparison operation to produce a second search interval;
• encoding the first source image using a second value for the first encoding parameter to generate a second encoded image, wherein the second value is based on the second search interval;
• and
• transmitting the second encoded image to at least one software application for further processing and display.

A system, comprising:

• one or more memories storing instructions;
• and
• one or more processors that are coupled to the one or more memories and, when executing the instructions, are configured to:
• cause an encoder to encode a first source image using a first value for a first encoding parameter to generate a first encoded image, wherein the first value is based on a first search interval that is associated with the first encoding parameter;
• cause a decoder to decode the first encoded image to generate a first reconstructed source image;
• compute a first visual quality score for the first reconstructed source image;
• perform at least one comparison operation between the first visual quality score and a target visual quality score;
• reduce the first search interval based on the at least one comparison operation to produce a second search interval;
• cause the encoder to encode the first source image using a second value for the first encoding parameter to generate a second encoded image, wherein the second value is based on the second search interval;
• and
• transmit the second encoded image to at least one software application for further processing and display.